Automakers Feeling Effects of Factory Fires, But They’re Not Alone

By Logan Wamsley

EBN has reported that American automaker Ford — as well as General Motors, Fiat Chrysler, and Mercedes — recently experienced a significant supply chain disruption due to a fire at the Meridian Magnesium factory in Eaton Rapids, Michigan. The disruption was so substantial that Ford was forced to halt production of their popular F-150 truck…

Die and Wafer Banking Costs: Prohibitive or Accessible?

By Logan Wamsley

In addition to added IP protection and ASIC performance efficiency, one of the greatest strengths of die and wafer banking is long-term cost-effectiveness. At the current rate of innovation and exponentially increasing demand, some critical components are transitioning to obsolescence before they even hit the market. To counter, if the OEM chooses to operate in…

Fire: The Oldest and Deadliest Risk to Supply Chain Business Continuity

By Logan Wamsley

The idea of a raging fire consuming large portions of what we hold dear is one of the oldest threats mankind has faced — and while multiple millennia’s worth of technology, planning, and old-fashioned trial-and-error have minimized this risk somewhat in general households, in the manufacturing industry many analysts have moved this issue back to…

Does Your Obsolescence Management Strategy Require a Vault?

By Logan Wamsley

One doesn’t have to try hard to recall the earthquake and tsunami disaster that befell the coast of Tohoku on March 11th, 2011. In addition to the 15,894 confirmed people who lost their lives, 120,000 buildings were destroyed, 278,000 were half-destroyed, 726,000 suffered partial damage, and the total economic damage could be valued as high…

Addressing Two Primary Concerns Associated with Die and Wafer Banking

By Logan Wamsley

When making the decision to implement ASICs into their product designs, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) often look at the benefits ASICs can offer their supply chain. Tighter obsolescence management procedures, more secure IP protection, increases in processing speeds and efficiency, and significantly reduced assembly and packaging costs are just a few of the advantages ASICs…